Boardwalk Brides

by Janice Thompson

  “I guess.” He shrugged. “And it’s not that I feel like pushing. I just need to know that she’s okay, that I haven’t upset her in some way.” He turned to Brooke. “Surely she would tell you if she was upset with me, right?”

  “Darren, I’ve only known Candy a couple of months. She’s different from most of the others in our apartment. And even though she’s opened up to me about a lot of things, she hasn’t mentioned anything specific about her relationship with you. Not lately, anyway.”

  “Not lately?”

  “Well, I heard every detail of how she fell out of the plane into your arms, and how you kissed her on the fly.” A grin slowly spread across Brooke’s face as she repeated, “On the fly. Hey, that’s pretty good. But anyway, that’s old news.”

  “But you two are definitely an item, right?” Jason gave him an inquisitive look. “Sure seems that way.”

  “I thought so.”

  “And whatever happened with Andrea?” Brooke asked.

  “I got another call from her a few days ago.” He sighed. “She’s coming back in town this weekend and wants to get together. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but I just don’t feel right about it. Even though Candy and I aren’t officially a couple, my heart is certainly. . .involved.”

  “Just tell Andrea you’re seeing someone else.” Jason shrugged. “She’ll get it.”

  “Yeah.” He paused a moment. “I’m just worried because I’m not actually ‘seeing’ someone else at the moment. I can’t even get Candy to respond to me.”

  “Time and space.” Jason repeated the words, then glanced at his watch. “Let’s get your mind off of women after we eat. Want to play some Skee-Ball?”

  “Waste of money.” Darren leaned back in his chair, defeated. No point in playing games without Candy around.

  “What’s the problem with spending a few bucks on a little harmless fun? I’m not asking you to gamble it away, after all. What’ve you got to lose?”

  Yeah. What’ve I got to lose? After all, the only thing he’d lost so far. . .was his heart.

  ❧

  Candy spent her afternoon at her parents’ house, chatting with Tangie. She felt a little guilty letting Taffie and Ryan handle things at the shop without her, but they’d insisted. When the clock in the living room struck six, their mother called out from the kitchen.

  “Okay, you two. We’re leaving in fifteen minutes for the shop to set up for the party.”

  “How many people are coming, Mom?” Candy asked as she rose from the sofa.

  Her mother rounded the corner into the living room to join them. “I’m thinking probably forty or more.” She paused to dry her hands on the dishcloth she was holding. “All of Tangie’s closest friends from high school will be there, and half the kids who were in the youth group with you girls. ’Course I guess they’re not kids anymore. They’re all twenty-somethings.”

  “Yes, but it’ll make us feel like kids again.” Tangie’s eyes sparkled with delight.

  “You are a kid.” Candy sighed as she looked at her very eclectic-looking younger sister. The shocking red orange hair always took people by surprise. So did the pierced nose. But underneath that colorful exterior lay a heart of gold, one that was often overlooked by folks who refused to dig deeper than the physical.

  “So, do you think Corey Lutton’s going to be there tonight?” Tangie waggled her brows. “He always had such a crush on you when we were kids. And I hear his fiancée just broke his heart a few months ago, so he’s available. Might help you through the heartbreak over you-know-who.”

  “ ‘You-know-who’?” Their mother put her hands up in mock despair. “Is there something you need to tell me?”

  “Well, I. . .”

  “Did you meet someone while Pop and I were off RVing? Why am I always the last to know?”

  Candy shrugged, feeling conflicted. “I don’t know. I mean, I was seeing someone, but now he’s. . .”

  “He’s what?” Tangie’s eyes widened, showing off her heavy eyeliner. “Married to someone else? In a coma? Incapacitated in some way? C’mon, Candy. Why don’t you just tell us what happened between you and Darren?”

  “Darren?” Their mother looked back and forth between them. “His name is Darren? The one who broke your heart?”

  Could this get any worse? “Well, he didn’t really break my heart. He doesn’t even know that I know. . .oh, never mind.” Candy groaned.

  “I’m so out of the loop,” Candy’s mother said with a look of exaggerated despair. “I guess that’s what happens when your kids grow up. The mother is replaced by sisters and friends. No one ever calls. No one ever writes. . . .” Her voice drifted off and she sighed. Loudly.

  “No, Mom.” Candy laughed. “I could never replace you. And Darren didn’t really break my heart. We’ve just. . .well, something’s happened and I had to step back.”

  “Oh. . .” Tangie’s mouth stayed in the perfect O position for a moment before she whispered, “Were you two getting too close, too fast?”

  Their mother paled and excused herself to the kitchen.

  “No. Nothing like that.” Candy gave her sister a friendly punch in the arm. “You know me better than that.”

  “Right. But sometimes people slip up, especially when they’re in love.”

  In love? Am I in love with Darren?

  “So, what happened?”Tangie asked. “Why did you back off?”

  “You’re just going to have to trust me when I say it’s for the best. I have a few things to figure out. And I think Darren does, too.”

  “Darren. I still can’t get over that name.” Tangie wrinkled her nose. “Not very romantic.”

  “Don’t even get me started on names.” Not when I’ve been “Cotton Candy” all my life. She took a couple of steps toward the hallway. “I’ve got to get dressed so we can leave. What about you?”

  “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” Tangie gestured at her mismatched shorts and T-shirt, then added, “Kidding. Kidding.” She padded along behind Candy, whispering, “Hey, while you’re figuring this out, take another look at Corey Lutton, okay? ’Cause if you don’t, I just might.”

  Candy laughed. “You go right ahead. Won’t bother me a bit.”

  Tangie shrugged. “His mother never liked my tattoos or my hair. I think she’s looking for a different kind of girl for her son.”

  “And I’m that girl?”

  Tangie grinned. “Well, I have it on good authority you’re pretty high on the list.”

  A groan escaped Candy’s lips. “Stop it, Tangie. No match-making. Not tonight.”

  “Who, me? This time it’s Mom and Mrs. Lutton conspiring against you. Or for you. Or, whatever you call it.”

  “I call it unnecessary.”

  “Well, to Mom’s credit, she didn’t know about Darren. I can’t believe you never told her, by the way.”

  “I was actually going to tell her tonight. He’s coming to the party with Jason and Brooke and a few others from our singles group, so I’m going to have to explain. And besides, he doesn’t know I’m—”

  “Wait. He doesn’t know you’re upset with him?” Tangie’s eyes widened. “Man, this is going to be great. Better than a soap opera. Corey and Darren in the same room. Darren not knowing you’re dumping him because of. . .why are you dumping him again? Anyway, I’m getting dressed in a hurry. Don’t want to miss a thing.”

  Candy sighed, then walked into her room and closed the door. As she changed for the party, she thought about Darren. Why? Why is he pretending to be interested in me, then going behind my back to help the men? Is he using me? Have they put him up to this?

  The more she thought about it, the more her skin began to crawl. It did make sense. All of that getting-to-know-you stuff at Essex County airport could just as easily have been a ruse. . .a way to get her to open up and talk. Thank goodness she’d kept her thoughts about Eastway to herself that day.

  On the other hand, she’d acted like a silly kid in the c
ockpit of the Cessna 400, hadn’t she? And her childishness had surely given Darren and the other men plenty of fodder. By now they probably all thought her to be immature, at best.

  Fully dressed, she paused to check her reflection in the mirror above her childhood dresser—the same mirror that she’d stared into hundreds, if not thousands, of times as a teen. “Mirror, mirror on the wall. . .” She mouthed the words, “Who’s the most naive of all?”

  Only one name came to mind.

  Candy exhaled loudly. Perhaps she’d been naive up till now, but no more. Staring into her reflection, she made up her mind, once and for all. Pop had been right. All of that head- in-the-clouds stuff. And look where it had gotten her. Her daydream mentality had landed her squarely in the middle of a controversy at Eastway.

  Well, no more. From this point on, she’d guard her every move. No more being taken advantage of. She would put away childish things once and for all.

  FIFTEEN

  Darren’s anticipation grew as the hours ticked by. He’d seen enough of the boardwalk, already. Played enough games. Nearly been run over by those goofy chairs half a dozen times at least. Listened to kids screaming and parents scolding. Eaten fried fish. Couldn’t they just get on with it?

  Finally, around 7:40 p.m., he managed to convince Brooke and Jason they should go to the candy shop. Who cared if they were a little early for the party? He wanted to see Candy. And surely she wanted to see him. . .in spite of the unanswered calls.

  At exactly 7:43, Darren, Brooke, Jason, and the others from the singles group stood in front of the colorful candy shop.

  “Wow.” So this is where she grew up. The playfulness of the place fit right in with her girlish charm. He looked up at the sign above the door. Beneath the words Carini’s Confections they’d placed a scripture from Psalm 119:103: How Sweet Are Your Words to My Taste, Sweeter Than Honey to My Mouth! Clever.

  “You ready?” Jason slapped him on the back.

  “Like we could stop him.” Brooke rolled her eyes, then turned to the others in the group. “He’s been begging us for hours to bring him here.”

  Darren’s heartbeat escalated as he looked back at the sign. Looked like he was about to meet Candy’s family face-to-face. And the idea of seeing her again. . .especially on her own turf. . . put knots in his stomach. Why can’t things just be easy?

  He followed along behind Jason as they entered the crowded shop. Darren looked around in awe. “Wow. I’ve never seen anything like this.” The right side of the shop was dedicated to candies. And talk about color! He stared in awe at the rows and rows of sweets. Everything from large glass jars of saltwater taffy to caramel apples to rock candy. And the smell! A distinct sugary sweetness hung in the air, one that put him in mind of his childhood.

  He looked to his left, taking in the trendy coffee bar. Looked—and smelled—very tempting. And the old-fashioned ice cream area put him in mind of something from the turn of the century. The whole place amazed him. People of any and every age would feel at home here.

  Others in the group scattered to various places in the store. . . most of the women heading over to purchase taffy and other candy products. Darren worked his way through the crowd, almost losing sight of Jason and Brooke. They finally arrived at the coffee counter where Brooke squealed with delight.

  “Ryan!” She quickly made introductions. “Guys, this is my cousin, Ryan Antonelli. Ryan, you know Jason.” When the dark-haired stranger nodded, Brooke added, “And this is our friend, Darren.”

  “Darren, good to meet you.” He extended his hand. “Let me see if I can find my wife. She’s going to be so glad you’re here.” Minutes later, Darren stood in front of an unfamiliar woman, slightly older than Candy, yet resembling her in every conceivable way. “Wow. You must be Taffie.”

  “My fame precedes me.” She laughed. “How did you know that?”

  “Oh, your sister Candy. She and I are. . .” He wasn’t sure how to finish the sentence. If someone had asked him a couple of weeks before, he would’ve said “dating.” No problem. But, now? When she wouldn’t even answer his calls. . .

  “Oh, I remember now.” Taffie’s face lit up. “You’re the guy in the pictures.”

  “Pictures?”

  Taffie nodded. “Candy sent pictures of you a couple of weeks ago. There was one of you standing next to a small plane. I think the caption said something about Big Ben. Or the English countryside. Maybe both.”

  Okay, well, that’s embarrassing. Still, it gave him hope. If Candy had told her sister about their date, maybe her silence of late was simply a coincidence.

  “Candy just got here,” Taffie said. “She’s with my mom and Tangie back in the office. They’re dealing with decorations. We’re about to close the shop to the public and set things up for the party. You’re just in time to help.”

  “Help decorate?” Is she kidding?

  “Why not?” Brooke nudged him, then whispered, “You want to make a good impression on the family, right? Well, here’s your chance.”

  Taffie put him to work filling balloons at the helium tank. With his attention more on the back of the room than the task at hand, he sent a couple of balloons sailing off across the room.

  “He can fly a plane and a balloon,” Brooke teased.

  “Here, let me do that.” Ryan took over. “You’re a guest, after all.”

  Darren nodded and muttered an apology, all the while keeping his gaze on the back of the room. His heart could hardly stand the wait.

  Thankfully, a couple of minutes later, Candy emerged with an older woman on one side and a younger woman on the other. Okay, that’s her mom. Typical Italian mama with salt and pepper hair—more salt than pepper. And that’s got to be Tangie. The piercings and tattoos are a dead giveaway. And the red-orange hair. Couldn’t miss that if I wanted to.

  Darren’s attention shifted at once to Candy. The moment their eyes locked, her expression changed—from joy to one of concern, then. . .something else. He couldn’t quite place it, but she didn’t exactly look happy to see him.

  “Candy!” Brooke grabbed her and gave her a hug. “Darren could hardly wait to get here. Hope you don’t mind that we’re early.”

  Tangie’s brow wrinkled. She appeared to be sizing him up. “So, you’re Darren.”

  “I’m Darren.”

  “Mm-hmm.” She stared a bit longer, then turned to her sister. “He’s handsome, Candy. A lot more handsome in person than in the pictures you sent.”

  Darren felt the heat rise to his cheeks at her words. On the other hand, this might just work to his advantage. If he could win over the sisters, surely any fences could be mended.

  “I’m not sure Corey’s going to stand a chance next to this guy.” Tangie nudged Candy with her elbow.

  Corey? Okay, that changed everything.

  Candy’s cheeks reddened, and she mumbled something about decorating the cake.

  “So, you’re Darren.” Her mother gave him a suspicious look as if to ask, “What have you done to hurt my daughter?”

  “I. . .I’m Darren.” He extended his hand in her father’s direction.

  The older man appeared to be oblivious to any problems. He shook Darren’s hand and offered a warm smile. “Nice to meet you. We’re glad you could come.” He gestured around the room. “All of you.”

  “It’s great to finally meet you, too. I’ve looked forward to this day for ages.” Darren stumbled his way into a rehearsed speech about how much he’d enjoyed getting to know Candy, and how he’d wanted to meet her parents ever since their first date. “As a Christian, it’s just so important to me to have a good relationship with the whole family, not just the girl I’m dating.”

  “ ‘The girl I’m dating.’ ” Mrs. Carini drew in a deep breath and shook her head. “Strange. Just so strange.” She turned back toward the ice cream counter, and Candy followed on her heels. Darren watched it all in a state of confusion. What in the world had he done to upset everyone. . .and how could he possib
ly undo it?

  ❧

  Candy’s heart raced as she followed on her mother’s heels. When they reached the area behind the ice cream counter, her mom opened the freezer door and hid behind it.

  “Tell me again why I’m not supposed to like this guy?” she whispered. “He’s great. Sounds like he’s a strong Christian. . . handsome, too. And he’s clearly head over heels for you.”

  “I know, but. . .” Candy couldn’t think of anything else to say. Not now. Why ruin her sister’s big night? Besides, her mother didn’t need to know that Darren’s kindness was possibly just an act. That he’d gone behind her back to. . .

  Hmm. To do what? She still hadn’t really figured all of that out yet.

  Her mother handed her the ice cream cake. With a shaky hand, Candy wrote, Happy 21st, Tangie! on top. Her hand trembled so much the words were barely distinguishable.

  Taffie approached. She glanced down at the cake and said, “Wow. Hmm.” They both continued to stare at the sloppy script for a moment.

  “I know.” Candy sighed. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  “No problem. I’ll just scrape that off and rewrite it. Won’t hurt your feelings, will it?”

  “No. Won’t hurt my feelings.”

  Funny. At the words “hurt my feelings,” her gaze shifted to Darren. Standing there, chatting with her parents and Ryan, he looked to fit right in. She could see him merging into the Carini clan with little effort, especially after his impassioned speech about falling in love with the whole family.

  If only they didn’t have that one obstacle to overcome. . . the one where he had turned on her behind her back.

  Determined to focus on other things, she went to work helping Ryan fill helium balloons, then place them around the shop. She sighed with relief as the bell jangled. Good. Party guests. That would provide a nice distraction.